Ouch
by DemonCat66
Summary: Oogie has the love of his life and a great future ahead of him. But, by one fatal accident, it's all stripped from him in one fell swoop.


Oogie's P.O.V.

As I hitched my backpack higher on my burlap shoulder, I noticed Jack strutting down the hall arrogantly. As he headed down to the water fountain, I noticed him glance at her.

Sally.

I frowned as he stopped short and sidled closer to her, smiling a skeleton grin. As I passed by, I heard him say;

"Hello, honey."

"Oh, what do you want now?" she replied irritably.

"Just seeing how my muffin is doing. Is there a problem with that?"

"I was never dating you, and I never will!" huffed Sally.

I grinned as Jack frowned and folded his arms. "Well, your loss."

He turned and stalked down the hallway. I was about to leave when –

"Oh, hey, Oogie. What's up?"

Sally's voice was angelic to me. My stomach did a somersault.

"Uh, nothing much." I stammered, glad I couldn't blush. I fumbled with my backpack strap and tried not to make eye contact.

"Um, hey, I noticed the Calculus teacher gave you an A for the semester report. And he gave me a C…"

"I…I'm sorry…"

I looked to my feet. _Why is she talking to __**me**__? The fat, unpopular nerd?_

"…Hey! I know! Why don't you tutor me?"

I looked up in surprise. "W-wha -?"

Sally clapped her hands together excitedly. "I promise I'll pay you!"

I fiddled with the pens in my pocket. "I…I don't know…"

"Please?" she pleaded, tugging at my arm. I bit my lip before consenting.

"Oh…alright."

"YAY!"

The preppie hugged me and hurried down the hallway. As I watched her walk away, I leaned against the lockers, a spastic smile creeping onto my face.

_Knock, knock, knock._

I tapped thrice on the door to Sally's home and waited for the redhead to open the door. As I did, I wrung my 'hair' free of water. Rain pounded on the roof of the patio.

Sally cracked open the door. "Oogie? Oh, my! You're soaking! Come in, come in!"

I quickly slipped in and rubbed the crick in my neck. "Thanks."

She smiled. "C'mon, let's go to my room."

She started heading up the stairs before turning to me. "…what?"

Realizing I was staring, I shook my head and headed after her.

Throughout the hour of studying, my gaze kept drifting over to Sally. Anxiety pulled at my heartstrings as I awkwardly sat on the floor beside her.

The tip of her pencil snapped. Frowning, she got up to get the sharpener from her desk as I nervously fiddled with my pen.

_Should I tell her? How will she react? What if she doesn't like me anymore?_

Sally sharpened the pencil and turned to me. As she stepped back, her foot tripped over a lump on the carpet and she tumbled over.

**On top of me.**

My eyes widened in alarm as she lifted her head, her mouth a centimeter from mine.

"Uh…um…" I stammered.

"Oh…sorry, Oogie." Sally said naively, pushing herself up.

_Oh, why is she so perfect?_

We continued until eight o' clock, when I got ready to leave. Sally and I went out on the patio.

"Well, I suppose I'll be seeing you tomorrow, then, right?" she asked sweetly.

"…mmm-hmm."

Suddenly, I gave in. I grabbed her and…

…kissed her.

Fireworks danced behind my eyes as she stiffened.

SMACK.

I drew away, alarmed. My paw flew up to my cheek.

"W-why did y-you do th-that?" I stuttered.

"YOU SICK FREAK! GET OUT OF HERE! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" she screamed in disgust.

"B-but I th-thought -."

"What makes you think I would EVER like someone like **you**?" she snapped.

I winced and slipped down the stairs. As I ran through the rain, I could feel my nonexistent heart breaking.

Two weeks later, news began floating around Halloween High about a new girl arriving. I didn't listen to most of it – I was too preoccupied with avoiding Sally.

The girl was introduced in third period, and all the feelings I had ever had for Sally vanished like mist under a hot sun.

The new girl looked like me, with a sack 'ponytail' tied back with some rope. She was thin, with big eyeholes.

"This is Lepidoptera. She'll be joining this class." said the principal. She sat in the empty seat next to me and shot me a smile.

After a moment's hesitation, I smiled back.

Later at lunch, I overheard some girls giggling and pointing to Lepidoptera as she walked in quietly. Jack, who was standing in line for the vending machine, stuck his long, thin foot out and tripped her. She crashed to the ground, losing her sandwich and drink.

A smattering of laughter rang out. Feeling out of it, I got up and went to her.

"H-hey…are you okay?"

She looked up at me with those wide, frightened eyes, and wiped a tear away.

"Y-yeah…oh, I lost my lunch."

Another round of hysteria rose up. I narrowed my eyes at the bullies and helped Lepidoptera to her feet.

"...uh...would you like to have lunch with me?"

She smiled feebly and nodded. "Uh-huh."

I led her to my table as the normal buzz of cafeteria chatter continued, ignoring the looks thrown at me by other students. I saw Sally tapping her fingers against the table out of the corner of my eye. She seemed keen for a response, so I gave her one - _I stuck my striped-snake tongue out._

Lepidoptera and I became good friends after that. When we got group assignments in English, she was my partner. When we had to cram for geometry finals, I was her study buddy. I felt myself grow **fonder** of her, to the point where we were spending every afternoon together. She also seemed to like me as well, but my earlier disappointment with Sally kept me from showing my true feelings.

_Until one evening._

We were sitting together in my 'house'. She was talking about something (although I wasn't really paying attention) and I was shaking for some reason. Maybe because I was so close to her. Whatever the reason, L eventually noticed and looked at me curiously.

"Oogie? You okay?"

I tried to swing my feet to disguise the shaking, but I missed the floor. I swung forward with a gasp and **bumped my lips against hers.**

Our eyes widened. I stared into her dark eyes, trembling, as she stiffened.

_No...not again..._

Slowly, Lepidoptera's eyes began to close as she moved forward and slipped her burlap paws into mine. I gave one last shiver as I shut my eyes.

I was placid on the outside, but on the inside I was spastically jumping for joy.

_SHE LIKES ME! SHE REALLY LIKES ME!_

Lepidoptera and I never parted after that. Every evening I was over with her, talking and kissing. Other people glanced at us dismissively, and I heard others still say how 'those two are _so_ not together'. I only smiled and shook my head.

Graduation came, and I hugged Lepidoptera like I would never let go of her.

"I love you." I murmured in her ear.

I could practically feel her glowing.

Two days later, I took her out of the house and pulled something out of my pocket.

"Oogie, what are you doing?" she asked, giggling. I smiled and held **it** behind my back.

"I know...I've only known you for a year or so," I said, choosing my words slowly, "but I feel that we have a special connection."

She smiled and nodded.

"And I know...that we are only nineteen and twenty, but..."

I knelt down and opened the box.

"...even though it may lead to possible injury..._will you marry me?_"

Lepidoptera lit up instantly. Beaming, an enormous smile exploded on her face as she rushed into my arms.

"**YES!** I will!"

There was spider silk and flowers in the air on the day of our wedding. Lepidoptera looked absolutely stunning in her white dress.

After all that, we both moved into a new open house outside of town called the Old Mill Home, and then we went on our honeymoon. The beach was warm and sunny.

About a month later, news came that Sam Finkelstein, our school's medical-obsessed _geek_, had actually gotten a full PhD and was now working on his own in the Halloween Town Hospital. I had to admit, I was rather impressed.

Lepidoptera sat down next to me, reading a paper. "Look at this, honey. Looks like Sam is doing this thing where you can actually have a baby put inside you."

I looked at her in surprise. "I thought you _hated_ medical stuff!"

"Well, I just wondered if you...uh..."

"...what?"

"You know what, never mind." Lepidoptera waved her paw embarrassedly.

I shrugged and continued watching TV, thinking nothing of it at the time.

Two weeks later, late at night, I was sitting up in bed worriedly. Lepidoptera had gone off on errands earlier and hadn't come home yet. Despite how tired I was, I couldn't go to sleep.

The door quietly opened and L stepped in. "Oogie?"

"Sweetie? _What took you_?"

"I...I'm sorry..."

She sat down on the bed next to me silently.

"What's wrong?"

"Um...do you remember...how I told you about...that **thing**...a while ago?"

"Huh?"

"About what Sam was doing?"

"Oh, that - what was it - impregnation thing? What about it?"

"I, uh...I went to see him today...and..."

It took a moment for it to sink in, but when it did;

"You mean you -?"

Lepidoptera burst into tears. "I'm sorry! I -!"

"Oh, but, L! That's fantastic!"

She looked at me in confusion. "Wha-?"

I wrapped her in a hug. "I think that that's a wonderful thing you did! We're going to have a kid!"

Sam (or Dr. Finkelstein, as he was going by now) informed us that the gestation period was only three months instead of nine, which was a slight advantage because we wouldn't have to wait that long to see our son. I helped Lepidoptera around the house so she could rest easy.

After two months, Dr. Finkelstein told her to stay at the hospital. Let me tell you, I was _excited_.

One evening I got held up at work, so I couldn't visit L at the hospital.

And that was when the **pain** began.

I got the call from Dr. F that she had gone into labor, and even though I was happy, I felt a little worried.

"B-but I can't be there."

"Well, I'll call you later, but I'd suggest you'd get down here the minute you can." he responded.

An hour later, I flew out of the office and ran up to the hospital. Intense glee exploded within me, pushing down any worry I had.

I burst in. "I'm here! I'm here!"

Dr. Finkelstein turned, clutching the phone like a lifeline. The second I saw the blood on his gloves, my stomach plummeted.

"W-what happened?"

"I was just going to call you. I...I couldn't s-save her."

It took a moment for me to realize what he'd said, but when I did I felt myself grow cold.

"No...no..."

"I also wasn't...able to save...your son...but I couldn't...I tried, but I..." he trailed off, shaking and panting.

I leaned against a wall and slithered to the floor, legs failing me.

_No...not her...not Lepidoptera...not my beautiful butterfly..._

My bugs began to boil.

"YOU! This is all **your** fault!"

He took a step back, visibly trembling. "I'm sorry! I tried, I really did!"

"Why couldn't you save her? Why? I trusted you with her **life** and you failed us! How could you?"

Blinded by rage, I moved forward, not fully aware of what I was doing. The next thing I heard was a strange cracking sound and an inhuman scream of pain.

"ARGH! MY LEGS! AHHH!" the doctor screamed.

My eyes snapped open as I realized what I had done. Fear took the place of anger as I backed toward the door.

"AHH! I'M SORRY, OOGIE! _I'M SO SORRY_!" I heard him sobbing. I turned and fled into the night.

I wasn't crying. I was still too deep in shock to even realize what was really happening.

When I ran out of steam, I leaned against a nearby wall and breathed out.

"Oh, Jack..."

I froze at the sound of a familiar voice. _Sally?_

I peered around the corner and glanced out on the graveyard.

Jack and Sally were in the midst of an embrace, kissing as if they'd never stop.

That's when it hit me.

_The love of my life is gone forever._

_My unborn child is dead._

_I almost killed an old friend._

_My enemy has gotten the girl I wanted once._

_No one loves me._

The heart I never had shattered and fell to pieces.

**Ouch.**

ONE MONTH LATER

I heard news one day of a little redhead freshly killed. He had shown up and seemed kinda lost, and no one was bothering to talk to him.

I silently got up and went to town.

He had the strangest haircut I'd ever seen and his death seemed to have given him a devil tail mutation. His skin was pale as snow and he kept fingering the bullet hole in his chest, murmuring to himself schizophrenically.

I went up to him. "Hey there."

He looked up at me in alarm. "Y-yes?"

"What's your name?"

"L-Lock."

"Well Lock, I heard you were looking for a place to stay. I've got a big place over at the Old Oogie Home. Care to come with?"

He rubbed the dried blood from the side of his mouth and nodded. "Mmm-hmm."

Not too long after that, news of a young girl new in town came as well. I found her to be named Shock and invited her to stay with me.

When I led her into the room, I noticed Lock redden at the sight of her.

The last one was named Barrel, and he seemed completely out of it. I noticed he calmed down considerably once I gave him a lollipop.

They became my henchmen, or as others called them, 'Boogie's Boys'. When I heard news of Jack, that one person I couldn't _STAND_, had plans to make something called **'Christmas'**, I sent those mischievous three out to help me foil his plans.

As you may have guessed, it didn't work. Which is why I'm still stuck in this hole of a lair.

I've tried ridding myself of that no-good Skellington many times, but I unfortunately never have.

Things changed one evening though.

I was gazing at a picture of me and L when I heard the door creak. Startled, I plunked the picture down.

Barrel: "Uh, Mr. Oogie Boogie?"

I turned, struggling to keep a straight face. "How many times must I tell you three to STAY OUT OF HERE?"

It came out angrier than I wanted.

Lock quivered.

"W-well, w-we brought s-something to s-show you…" he stammered.

I sighed. "What now?"

_Probably another bug or new candy._

Lock held a little girl up. My eyes widened.

She was small and had raspberry hair. Two small horns poked out from her head, and a black cat tail swished from under the blankets wrapped around her.

I felt a tiny bit of pain, but I gathered up my composure and asked huffily.

"What is that?"

"We…we found her…" Shock said quietly, looking guilty.  
>"And we thought she was <strong>cute<strong>!" Barrel chirped.

Lock placed her on the platform below the Oogie Chute.  
>"She doesn't have a home." Lock murmured, his shining eyes adopting a begging look.<p>

I hesitated. Lock looked so sincere…and this may be the only chance I would ever have a kid of my own.

"…oh…alright. We can keep her, as my daughter and your partner."

A cheer flew up. Lock hugged the little girl. I smiled feebly.

"Now, hang on! She will be my adopted daughter, but she must be another of my henchmen as well. That means she needs to be your age. Wait a moment."

I went to his potion cabinet and pulled out the tool that I thought was best.  
>"Here, drink this." I held it in front of the girl. She smiled and grabbed it, drinking the liquid within.<br>"What's that?" Barrel asked curiously.  
>"Aging potion. She'll be your age in the morning. The teaching bit is left to you three." I answered, hoping my speech didn't betray the whirlwind of emotions in my head.<br>The girl put down an empty bottle down and hiccupped.  
>"By the way, we need a name for her." Shock said.<br>I poked one of the infant's horns and she stuck her tongue out at me.  
>"Heh, look at that. What a fearless girl you are." I chuckled. <em>Just like Lepidoptera.<em>  
>Lock snapped his pale fingers. "I've got it! Mockingjay!"<br>"…wha…?" Shock blinked.  
>"Y'know, because she mocks people…? No…?"<br>"Well, I like it!" I declared, grinning. "We'll call her Mock for short!"  
>"Lock, Shock, Mock and Barrel?" Barrel made a face. "I'm still the odd one out when it comes to names!"<br>Mock giggled.  
>"Alright, you crazy kids. It's late, and there'll be tons to do tomorrow, so go up to bed." I said, shooing them upstairs.<br>When they'd gone, I fixed the picture of Lepidoptera and smiled.

"I guess maybe we can still have a kid, L." I murmured.

**I could almost hear her joyous laughter ringing in the air.**


End file.
